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Build Your Own PVR states it the best: "Why TiVo when you can FreeVo?". A recent Slashdot post questions if new TiVo features and applications will keep the customers coming. As more and more computer enthusiasts are leaning towards building their own HTPCs, no wonder the death of TiVo is in question.

Interestingly enough, as a recent college graduate, I myself will soon have conjured up some money which I have been planning to use to build my own PVR. And to answer any questions - Just because I can.

I bought a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard last July out of pure interest in making an efficent, small, and quiet computer. But at the time, I was careful not to buy one that would be "too out of date" any time this year. I've had my desktop PC since I began college, back in 2000, and to this day, it has served me well with its 733MHz of processing power and 512MB of RAM. I'm no up-to-date gamer of any sort, but I do run Apache and like to listen to MP3s that don't "skip" while I'm multi-tasking. So an effiecient computer is of importance, but I don't plan on utilizing all of it's computational power to monitor the Earth's global warming. With that said, the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-350 will gladly record the tube while my CPU does what it wants.

But as things go, nothing in life is free. When complete, my do-it-yourself PVR will probably cost me a good $800 or $900. On the brighter side of things, it will have all of the goodies I'm looking for, and will keep me from having to shell out a monthly subscription fee to pause my TV next time Janet Jackson does the Superbowl halftime show.

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